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No charges for teen who put Visine in teacher's coffee

FOWLERVILLE, Mich. — The Livingston County prosecutor says his office will not seek charges against a Fowlerville High School student for poisoning his teacher's coffee. Prosecutor William Vailliencourt said

FOWLERVILLE, Mich. — The Livingston County prosecutor says his office will not seek charges against a high school student for poisoning his teacher's coffee with eye drops.

Prosecutor William Vailliencourt said Thursday that after a thorough investigation by his office as well as the Fowlerville Police Department, there is "insufficient legally admissible evidence to support the issuance of any criminal charges" against the 17-year-old male student, who has not been named.

"While the Fowlerville Community Schools was able to take disciplinary action, the administrative standards governing decisions by schools to impose discipline are different from the stricter constitutional and legal standards that apply to criminal cases," Vailliencourt said.

A message seeking comment from the teacher, Mary Aldecoa, was not immediately returned Thursday.

The student was suspended in May for one school year after he allegedly admitted placing Visine solution in the teacher's coffee.

Aldecoa, an algebra teacher who has taught at Fowlerville Community Schools for 24 years, earlier said she believed the alleged poisoning occurred over a five-day period beginning around the week of May 12, and it left her with "horrible symptoms," including severe stomach pains and throbbing headaches that kept her out of school since May 15.

Superintendent Wayne Roedel said in a prior interview that the school principal learned in "casual conversation" with students at lunchtime about a student placing the substance in a teacher's coffee or water. The name of a male student "came up," and the investigation wrapped up that day, he said.

According to the Johnson & Johnson website, the active ingredients in Sterile Visine include Glycerin, hypromellose and polyethylene glycol, which are all lubricants; and Tetrahydrozoline HCl 0.05 percent, a redness reliever. The company advises customers: "If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away."